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A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing
Growing up is always hard, but especially when so many think you're a washed-up has-been at twenty-two.
Jena Chung plays the violin. She was once a child prodigy and is now addicted to sex. She's struggling a little. Her professional life comprises rehearsals, concerts, auditions and relentless practice; her personal life is spent managing family demands, those of her creative friends, and lots of sex. Jena is selfish, impulsive and often behaves badly, though mostly only to her own detriment. And then she meets Mark – much older and worldly-wise – who bewitches her. Could this be love?
When Jena wins an internship with the New York Philharmonic, she thinks the life she has dreamed of is about to begin. But when Trump is elected, New York changes irrevocably and Jena along with it. Is the dream over? With echoes of Frances Ha, Jena's favourite film, truths are gradually revealed to her. Jena comes to learn that there are many different ways to live and love and that no one has the how-to guide for any of it – not even her indomitable mother.
A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing unflinchingly explores the confusion of having expectations upturned, and the awkwardness and pain of being human in our increasingly dislocated world – and how, in spite of all this, we still try to become the person we want to be. It is a dazzling, original and astounding debut from a young writer with a fierce, intelligent and fearless new voice.
Jena Chung plays the violin. She was once a child prodigy and is now addicted to sex. She's struggling a little. Her professional life comprises rehearsals, concerts, auditions and relentless practice; her personal life is spent managing family demands, those of her creative friends, and lots of sex. Jena is selfish, impulsive and often behaves badly, though mostly only to her own detriment. And then she meets Mark – much older and worldly-wise – who bewitches her. Could this be love?
When Jena wins an internship with the New York Philharmonic, she thinks the life she has dreamed of is about to begin. But when Trump is elected, New York changes irrevocably and Jena along with it. Is the dream over? With echoes of Frances Ha, Jena's favourite film, truths are gradually revealed to her. Jena comes to learn that there are many different ways to live and love and that no one has the how-to guide for any of it – not even her indomitable mother.
A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing unflinchingly explores the confusion of having expectations upturned, and the awkwardness and pain of being human in our increasingly dislocated world – and how, in spite of all this, we still try to become the person we want to be. It is a dazzling, original and astounding debut from a young writer with a fierce, intelligent and fearless new voice.
293 pages, Paperback
First published July 2, 2020
346 people are currently reading
16440 people want to read
About the author
Jessie Tu
5 books100 followersJessie Tu is a book critic at The Age and Sydney Morning Herald, and a journalist for Women's Agenda. Her debut novel, A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing, won the ABIA for 2020 Literary Fiction Book of the Year. The Honeyeater is her second novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,052 reviews
July 23, 2020
I am conflicted.
Essentially, this is a novel about emptiness. Jena is a professional violinist with a gaping hole of loneliness inside her which she fills with meaningless sex. That's pretty much the gist of it.
Fair warning: If you have an aversion to copious, graphic depictions of sexual activity, this one might not be for you.
Yet my own aversion to that wasn't a huge factor here, because it was so emotionless. There's no awkward exploding stars and suns and passion and ecstasy etc to cringe over. It's detached, and pitiful, and quite clearly this girl has some serious issues but getting attached too easily is not one of them.
The stunted writing style did make it a little hard to follow at times, but it worked well to portray Jena as this lost soul who just doesn't seem to feel anything, other than emptiness and the need to be noticed. Jena is not someone I liked, but I truly did pity her and how chronic her loneliness is. She made so many questionable decisions but I felt her pain so well that I forgave her for them. It's easy to see this is a broken girl trying to find a meaningful place in the world.
Still, hating most of the characters didn't make this too fun a read, and Jena's emotional detachment only worked for me I think because I understand her loneliness a little. I think people in healthy, meaningful relationships may find this one a little too hard to swallow, although hopefully Jena's need for approval and meaning is something we can all understand, if not empathise with.
I found the blurb was quite misleading - the story wasn't particularly strong, or compelling, on its own, and this is one where events referred to in the blurb took half the book to happen. This is a novel where the themes are overwhelming, and the plot takes a backseat. This is a story about how unpredictable and uncontrollable life is, and how difficult it can be to find a meaningful place in it. We're confronted repeatedly by Jena's detachment, and the conflict between her emotionlessness and her desperate need to be loved.
There's also a sense that this is a story that has no end in sight - just like life, it just continues on, whether we find our happy ending or not. There's that sense of life running away, and the inability to stretch out a hand and finally grab onto something meaningful before everything passes you by.
I can't say I enjoyed reading it, but I did enjoy the way it made me think, and it's a novel that encourages the reader to take more care in appreciating all the little moments of one's life. I can roll with that.
I will say, though, that I'm very keen to compare the last line of my uncorrected proof copy with the final version, and see if it differs. It left me feeling rather uncomfortable but I suspect that might have been the point.
A thought-provoking read for lonely souls, and people looking for a read that helps enforce the attitude of never taking anything in life for granted. I appreciate its realness, but I strongly suspect not everyone will feel the same.
With thanks to A&U for my uncorrected proof ARC
Essentially, this is a novel about emptiness. Jena is a professional violinist with a gaping hole of loneliness inside her which she fills with meaningless sex. That's pretty much the gist of it.
Fair warning: If you have an aversion to copious, graphic depictions of sexual activity, this one might not be for you.
Yet my own aversion to that wasn't a huge factor here, because it was so emotionless. There's no awkward exploding stars and suns and passion and ecstasy etc to cringe over. It's detached, and pitiful, and quite clearly this girl has some serious issues but getting attached too easily is not one of them.
The stunted writing style did make it a little hard to follow at times, but it worked well to portray Jena as this lost soul who just doesn't seem to feel anything, other than emptiness and the need to be noticed. Jena is not someone I liked, but I truly did pity her and how chronic her loneliness is. She made so many questionable decisions but I felt her pain so well that I forgave her for them. It's easy to see this is a broken girl trying to find a meaningful place in the world.
Still, hating most of the characters didn't make this too fun a read, and Jena's emotional detachment only worked for me I think because I understand her loneliness a little. I think people in healthy, meaningful relationships may find this one a little too hard to swallow, although hopefully Jena's need for approval and meaning is something we can all understand, if not empathise with.
I found the blurb was quite misleading - the story wasn't particularly strong, or compelling, on its own, and this is one where events referred to in the blurb took half the book to happen. This is a novel where the themes are overwhelming, and the plot takes a backseat. This is a story about how unpredictable and uncontrollable life is, and how difficult it can be to find a meaningful place in it. We're confronted repeatedly by Jena's detachment, and the conflict between her emotionlessness and her desperate need to be loved.
There's also a sense that this is a story that has no end in sight - just like life, it just continues on, whether we find our happy ending or not. There's that sense of life running away, and the inability to stretch out a hand and finally grab onto something meaningful before everything passes you by.
I can't say I enjoyed reading it, but I did enjoy the way it made me think, and it's a novel that encourages the reader to take more care in appreciating all the little moments of one's life. I can roll with that.
I will say, though, that I'm very keen to compare the last line of my uncorrected proof copy with the final version, and see if it differs. It left me feeling rather uncomfortable but I suspect that might have been the point.
A thought-provoking read for lonely souls, and people looking for a read that helps enforce the attitude of never taking anything in life for granted. I appreciate its realness, but I strongly suspect not everyone will feel the same.
With thanks to A&U for my uncorrected proof ARC
July 9, 2020
I adored this, my goodness. It is so wonderful to see stories about messy, disobedient Asian women!
This novel made me incredibly uncomfortable to read in all the best ways. I saw myself in so much of it: the way Tu writes about being tiger parented in the classical music world made the hairs on my neck prickle in recognition.
We rarely hear self destructive stories about Asian Australian women, and it really resonated with me as someone who used to use sex and my body as a weapon, inflicting violence on both myself and others. Tu is so sensitive with her handling of this; the character is not sympathetic, yet we can see clearly where these impulses come from.
And! The way that race and power is deconstructed, both within the art world and interpersonal relationships, is so well done and thought provoking.
What can I say except read this! My fav novel so far in 2020.
This novel made me incredibly uncomfortable to read in all the best ways. I saw myself in so much of it: the way Tu writes about being tiger parented in the classical music world made the hairs on my neck prickle in recognition.
We rarely hear self destructive stories about Asian Australian women, and it really resonated with me as someone who used to use sex and my body as a weapon, inflicting violence on both myself and others. Tu is so sensitive with her handling of this; the character is not sympathetic, yet we can see clearly where these impulses come from.
And! The way that race and power is deconstructed, both within the art world and interpersonal relationships, is so well done and thought provoking.
What can I say except read this! My fav novel so far in 2020.
December 28, 2024
*** Winner Literary Fiction Book of the Year 2021 ABIA Prize ***
*** Longlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize ***
The opening scene of this book depicts a furtive coupling in the chapel closet at a funeral. It’s tawdry and it’s emotionless. It also sets the tone of the book. This book has a lot of sex in it. And by a lot, I mean every few pages.
As disturbing as this book is, I also found it riveting. I was equally horrified/fascinated.
Jena Lin was a child prodigy. A violin virtuoso. She would practice until her fingers bled. Forget to eat. Not want to sleep. Going to school kept her away from her instrument. Her solace and torment. She would live and breathe through it. It was an extension of herself, and the only way she knew to express herself. It would also prove to be her undoing.
”Every second away from the violin made me anxious.”
Fast forward a few years, and Jena is now twenty-three, a soloist playing for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Trying to move on from her spectacular breakdown on stage at Carnegie Hall at the age of fourteen. Truth be told, Carnegie Hall sounds pretty damned daunting at any age, let alone as a teen. But can you ever really leave your childhood behind, or is this a part of you that you always carry around?
People have various addictions. Jena's is she sleeps around. Indiscriminately. I couldn’t believe she kept finding herself in one dire sexual encounter after another. It certainly wasn’t intimacy she was getting, it was simply a physical act to fill a void. And usually not very satisfying. There is such a dull sadness in this book. As if she’s going through the motions. And while she’s actively seeking these encounters, I simply could not understand why she’d want to have anything to do with some of these men, let alone allow them to touch her, or use her for her sex. They were repellent. Case in point “Women are like...I’m working my way through the menu.” (current bedmate says of working his way through women of the world). What???? Did I read that? Do grown men really think that? Ok, maybe some do, but to say it? I pulled a face as if I’d bitten into a lemon when I read this. It’s repulsive. And more than a little uncomfortable.
Though truth be told, our protagonist is no better. That she is promiscuous is putting it mildy. She also seems to have her own status code when deciding who to sleep with next.
"'What does he do?'
'I don't know. Does it matter?'
'I don't want to fuck a plumber.'
'Jesus Christ, you're worse than a racist.'
'My prejudices don't need a label.'"
Ouch.
Set mainly in Sydney, I recognized many of the places Ms.Tu described. The essence and tone of the various parts of the city are deftly captured. From the leafy, monied tranquility of the North Shore, to the gritty trendiness of inner city Newtown, the beautiful people of Bondi, to the sheer magic and aura of the Sydney Opera House. Just as the city has such diverse qualities, so do its inhabitants.
Jena is a driven, obsessive character. Full of opposites. On the one hand, she's obviously a musical genius who can create magic. But the same drive that creates her talent is what seems to destroy her privately. Her personal life is dark, incredibly so. It’s as if she wants to completely lose - or even destroy herself - through meaningless encounters. Some more dangerous than others. In many respects, it was as if her sexual partners were just a conveyor belt of body parts. It was mechanical, purely physical, and not necessarily enjoyable either. In fact, it seemed the worse the sex, the better Jena felt for it. As though it somehow absolved something within her that she was not happy with. To say Jena is one hot mess is an understatement.
”Everything I did with these men was... a contradiction between my public and private life; a chasm between Jena Lin, darling Australian violinist...and Jena Lin, raging sex addict.”
Moving to New York for a few months after winning an internship with the NY Philharmonic Orchestra (effectively returning to the scene of the crime, being the city where she had her breakdown as a teen), not much changes. More meaningless sex. Only the accents are different.
”I crave the attention of men. It feels more powerful to be desired than to desire. There’s safety in being wanted. No risk in being the desired.”
As the story progresses, we learn about Jena’s complex relationship with her parents. Her Mum being a typical “show biz” parent. Supervising her spectacular rise and fall on the classical concert circuit as a youngster. Her Dad is effectively kept out of the loop, and becomes somewhat estranged. He’s not part of the three headed monster that is Jena, her mother and Banks, her violin teacher.
Making friends isn’t easy for Jena either. Always the outsider. The smart Asian kid. The polite Asian kid. The super striving, ultra performing Asian kid. Does this sound rude? It should. It’s meant to. Because this book shows the ugly side of the preconceptions we have of each other, even in the amazing melting pot that is Oz, where everybody comes from somewhere else. We still assign (often subconsciously) certain racial stereotypes to people. Whether or not they’re deserved or even correct.
But what really stood out is the theme of loneliness. Unrelenting, empty, mind numbing loneliness. It’s mentioned over and over. It’s tough reading this. We’ve all been there, though hopefully with less explosive results.
” ‘I was just...lonely.’
‘To be lonely is to want too much. And that’s fine. But it doesn’t mean you should let people hurt you. You know that now, right?’ ”
Did I like the main character, Jena? No. Did I understand her? Not at all. In fact, I don't think any of the characters had any redeeming features. They all seemed to exist in their own bubble, which would occasionally burst on bumping into another. With varying levels of secretive goings on and selfishness. Reading this made me realise, yet again, we really have no clue what's going on in another person's life. We see what others allow us to see. It's all smoke and mirrors.
There really aren’t any winners in this book. Each of the characters displays signs of varying degrees of doubt, jealousy and anxiety. The need to control events around them, in an attempt to feel they are in control of their lives and their feelings. Without really doing too great a job of either.
This book confronts topics of relationships, friendships and sexuality head on. There's nowhere to hide. It's brutal in its honesty. It also brings to the fore ideas of status and race, do we innately ascribe to certain scripts assigned to us by society, or is this simply part of ourselves that we’re unable to change?
Reading about child prodigies is new to me, as is a book about the Sydney Symphony and New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The inner workings - backstage, rehearsals, gala dinners, benefit nights, rivalries - were fascinating. Like all industries, there is politics. Both spoken and unspoken.
While I didn’t care for Jena, I found myself softening to her somewhat as the pages drew to a close. There seemed to be the slightest shift in her personality. Slighter than a breeze. The ending had me completely perplexed. How could it end this way? Just when I thought I knew which direction it was heading in. No neat endings tied with a pretty bow here. As much I wanted the ending to be cut and dried, because I felt Jena may have turned a corner, this was a great technique. To leave it as unfinished, to have you thinking, and pondering what the ending could be. A lot like life really. Those endless sliding door moments. What if, what if. I’m sure each of us who’s read this book has a different take on where Jena ends up.
Disturbing, tick. Confronting, tick. Baffling, tick. Original, tick, tick, tick.
This is the debut novel for Jessie Tu, and well done to her for such a bold and unusual story. I feel she is a writer that’s going places. She’s not afraid to delve into the darker parts of our hearts and minds.
I'm surprised that while this made it to the Stella Prize longlist, it didn't make it through to the shortlist. I'd have thought that something so edgy would have made the cut. Perhaps it was just too edgy for comfort.
Trigger warning!
Sexually graphic. Painfully so. Rape fantasies (I-cannot-pretend-to-even-understand). If you thought Mel Broder's The Pisces was full of sex, think again.
”I have to believe that everything happens for a reason. That I can be someone again.”
Review update 29.April.21
This book won the ABIA 2021 Literary Fiction Book of The Year. Congratulations to Ms.Tu! It was a stellar group of books in the running for the award. I have to admit I'm surprised that this won, as the book is so raw and so in-your-face, which makes the win even sweeter. I'm looking forward to reading whatever Ms.Tu writes next. I'm sure it will be interesting.
*** Buddy read with my wonderful friend and voracious bookworm, the talented Mr.Neale-ski. Be sure to check out his review for some male perspective (once he gets round to it, footy season's started 🏈), of what I feel is a very female-centric book.***
Update! The Eagle has landed. Neale has written his review and it's brilliant. Seriously, I should've just waited for him to write it, and then done a cheeky copy/paste. Please make sure you check it out, as he brings up several things I hadn't considered.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.nealesbookblog.com/post/b...
*** Longlisted for the 2021 Stella Prize ***
The opening scene of this book depicts a furtive coupling in the chapel closet at a funeral. It’s tawdry and it’s emotionless. It also sets the tone of the book. This book has a lot of sex in it. And by a lot, I mean every few pages.
As disturbing as this book is, I also found it riveting. I was equally horrified/fascinated.
Jena Lin was a child prodigy. A violin virtuoso. She would practice until her fingers bled. Forget to eat. Not want to sleep. Going to school kept her away from her instrument. Her solace and torment. She would live and breathe through it. It was an extension of herself, and the only way she knew to express herself. It would also prove to be her undoing.
”Every second away from the violin made me anxious.”
Fast forward a few years, and Jena is now twenty-three, a soloist playing for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Trying to move on from her spectacular breakdown on stage at Carnegie Hall at the age of fourteen. Truth be told, Carnegie Hall sounds pretty damned daunting at any age, let alone as a teen. But can you ever really leave your childhood behind, or is this a part of you that you always carry around?
People have various addictions. Jena's is she sleeps around. Indiscriminately. I couldn’t believe she kept finding herself in one dire sexual encounter after another. It certainly wasn’t intimacy she was getting, it was simply a physical act to fill a void. And usually not very satisfying. There is such a dull sadness in this book. As if she’s going through the motions. And while she’s actively seeking these encounters, I simply could not understand why she’d want to have anything to do with some of these men, let alone allow them to touch her, or use her for her sex. They were repellent. Case in point “Women are like...I’m working my way through the menu.” (current bedmate says of working his way through women of the world). What???? Did I read that? Do grown men really think that? Ok, maybe some do, but to say it? I pulled a face as if I’d bitten into a lemon when I read this. It’s repulsive. And more than a little uncomfortable.
Though truth be told, our protagonist is no better. That she is promiscuous is putting it mildy. She also seems to have her own status code when deciding who to sleep with next.
"'What does he do?'
'I don't know. Does it matter?'
'I don't want to fuck a plumber.'
'Jesus Christ, you're worse than a racist.'
'My prejudices don't need a label.'"
Ouch.
Set mainly in Sydney, I recognized many of the places Ms.Tu described. The essence and tone of the various parts of the city are deftly captured. From the leafy, monied tranquility of the North Shore, to the gritty trendiness of inner city Newtown, the beautiful people of Bondi, to the sheer magic and aura of the Sydney Opera House. Just as the city has such diverse qualities, so do its inhabitants.
Jena is a driven, obsessive character. Full of opposites. On the one hand, she's obviously a musical genius who can create magic. But the same drive that creates her talent is what seems to destroy her privately. Her personal life is dark, incredibly so. It’s as if she wants to completely lose - or even destroy herself - through meaningless encounters. Some more dangerous than others. In many respects, it was as if her sexual partners were just a conveyor belt of body parts. It was mechanical, purely physical, and not necessarily enjoyable either. In fact, it seemed the worse the sex, the better Jena felt for it. As though it somehow absolved something within her that she was not happy with. To say Jena is one hot mess is an understatement.
”Everything I did with these men was... a contradiction between my public and private life; a chasm between Jena Lin, darling Australian violinist...and Jena Lin, raging sex addict.”
Moving to New York for a few months after winning an internship with the NY Philharmonic Orchestra (effectively returning to the scene of the crime, being the city where she had her breakdown as a teen), not much changes. More meaningless sex. Only the accents are different.
”I crave the attention of men. It feels more powerful to be desired than to desire. There’s safety in being wanted. No risk in being the desired.”
As the story progresses, we learn about Jena’s complex relationship with her parents. Her Mum being a typical “show biz” parent. Supervising her spectacular rise and fall on the classical concert circuit as a youngster. Her Dad is effectively kept out of the loop, and becomes somewhat estranged. He’s not part of the three headed monster that is Jena, her mother and Banks, her violin teacher.
Making friends isn’t easy for Jena either. Always the outsider. The smart Asian kid. The polite Asian kid. The super striving, ultra performing Asian kid. Does this sound rude? It should. It’s meant to. Because this book shows the ugly side of the preconceptions we have of each other, even in the amazing melting pot that is Oz, where everybody comes from somewhere else. We still assign (often subconsciously) certain racial stereotypes to people. Whether or not they’re deserved or even correct.
But what really stood out is the theme of loneliness. Unrelenting, empty, mind numbing loneliness. It’s mentioned over and over. It’s tough reading this. We’ve all been there, though hopefully with less explosive results.
” ‘I was just...lonely.’
‘To be lonely is to want too much. And that’s fine. But it doesn’t mean you should let people hurt you. You know that now, right?’ ”
Did I like the main character, Jena? No. Did I understand her? Not at all. In fact, I don't think any of the characters had any redeeming features. They all seemed to exist in their own bubble, which would occasionally burst on bumping into another. With varying levels of secretive goings on and selfishness. Reading this made me realise, yet again, we really have no clue what's going on in another person's life. We see what others allow us to see. It's all smoke and mirrors.
There really aren’t any winners in this book. Each of the characters displays signs of varying degrees of doubt, jealousy and anxiety. The need to control events around them, in an attempt to feel they are in control of their lives and their feelings. Without really doing too great a job of either.
This book confronts topics of relationships, friendships and sexuality head on. There's nowhere to hide. It's brutal in its honesty. It also brings to the fore ideas of status and race, do we innately ascribe to certain scripts assigned to us by society, or is this simply part of ourselves that we’re unable to change?
Reading about child prodigies is new to me, as is a book about the Sydney Symphony and New York Philharmonic Orchestra. The inner workings - backstage, rehearsals, gala dinners, benefit nights, rivalries - were fascinating. Like all industries, there is politics. Both spoken and unspoken.
While I didn’t care for Jena, I found myself softening to her somewhat as the pages drew to a close. There seemed to be the slightest shift in her personality. Slighter than a breeze. The ending had me completely perplexed. How could it end this way? Just when I thought I knew which direction it was heading in. No neat endings tied with a pretty bow here. As much I wanted the ending to be cut and dried, because I felt Jena may have turned a corner, this was a great technique. To leave it as unfinished, to have you thinking, and pondering what the ending could be. A lot like life really. Those endless sliding door moments. What if, what if. I’m sure each of us who’s read this book has a different take on where Jena ends up.
Disturbing, tick. Confronting, tick. Baffling, tick. Original, tick, tick, tick.
This is the debut novel for Jessie Tu, and well done to her for such a bold and unusual story. I feel she is a writer that’s going places. She’s not afraid to delve into the darker parts of our hearts and minds.
I'm surprised that while this made it to the Stella Prize longlist, it didn't make it through to the shortlist. I'd have thought that something so edgy would have made the cut. Perhaps it was just too edgy for comfort.
Trigger warning!
Sexually graphic. Painfully so. Rape fantasies (I-cannot-pretend-to-even-understand). If you thought Mel Broder's The Pisces was full of sex, think again.
”I have to believe that everything happens for a reason. That I can be someone again.”
Review update 29.April.21
This book won the ABIA 2021 Literary Fiction Book of The Year. Congratulations to Ms.Tu! It was a stellar group of books in the running for the award. I have to admit I'm surprised that this won, as the book is so raw and so in-your-face, which makes the win even sweeter. I'm looking forward to reading whatever Ms.Tu writes next. I'm sure it will be interesting.
*** Buddy read with my wonderful friend and voracious bookworm, the talented Mr.Neale-ski. Be sure to check out his review for some male perspective (once he gets round to it, footy season's started 🏈), of what I feel is a very female-centric book.***
Update! The Eagle has landed. Neale has written his review and it's brilliant. Seriously, I should've just waited for him to write it, and then done a cheeky copy/paste. Please make sure you check it out, as he brings up several things I hadn't considered.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
https://www.nealesbookblog.com/post/b...
July 21, 2020
I was fortunate to receive a copy of this book from Allen & Unwin to review and for that I am giving an honest opinion.
One star for a plot with a lot of potential but this was not a book for me nor anyone that I know. Jena is the central character and I could not bring myself to like her or feel sorry for her. She treated the people around her in an appalling manner. On top of this was what she was doing to herself with the dreadful need for violent sex with strangers.
Not normally put off by sex in books I think this one crossed some sort of boundary for me. The sex scenes were really off-putting and I thought that they seriously detracted from the story itself. The descriptions and the language I found very distasteful. It got to the point where I lost interest in the story and just wanted to finish it as quickly as possible and move on.
For me this book is a big NO. I did not like it and cannot recommend it based on how it made me feel. I wish the author good luck as she certainly has skill as a writer but this was not to my taste. Others may read it and find some redeeming features that I missed.
NOTE: I would not consider this book young adult, I think that there is disturbing content that would be very upsetting for a younger group of readers.
One star for a plot with a lot of potential but this was not a book for me nor anyone that I know. Jena is the central character and I could not bring myself to like her or feel sorry for her. She treated the people around her in an appalling manner. On top of this was what she was doing to herself with the dreadful need for violent sex with strangers.
Not normally put off by sex in books I think this one crossed some sort of boundary for me. The sex scenes were really off-putting and I thought that they seriously detracted from the story itself. The descriptions and the language I found very distasteful. It got to the point where I lost interest in the story and just wanted to finish it as quickly as possible and move on.
For me this book is a big NO. I did not like it and cannot recommend it based on how it made me feel. I wish the author good luck as she certainly has skill as a writer but this was not to my taste. Others may read it and find some redeeming features that I missed.
NOTE: I would not consider this book young adult, I think that there is disturbing content that would be very upsetting for a younger group of readers.
October 14, 2021
There is nothing of literary grace in a novel with no character development, a selfish and narrow minded protagonist who frequently victimises herself, and blunt and crude language and sentence structures. This novel is hastily resolved in the last 20 pages without any obvious basis for the sudden change in the protagonist, other than the fact that she got what she wanted and had a contrived conversation with her mother about some irrelevant and artificial past trauma that brings no bearing to the conclusion. In addition, the blurb of this book is misleading and suggestive of a more complicated plot involving the 2016 election, which is actually only a perfunctory aspect of the novel.
March 26, 2021
The novel opens with the protagonist, Jena, having sex inside a chapel closet. Very graphic, no punches pulled, and you get the feeling that this novel is going to be like this the entire way through. The reason for this hot sex, Jena “felt sorry for him”.
“The kind of pity that was entirely self-serving.”
This also gives us a little insight into Jena’s character.
It must be said that Jena loves casual sex almost as much as she loves the violin. When a friend of Jena’s tells her to steer clear of a guy, he is a serial f***er. Jena replies,
“But so am I”.
But is it the physical act of sex or the feeling of being desired and the resulting feeling of power that Jena loves? The same feeling of power that she feels when she is loved by the audience. Yes, you could say that Jenna is self-absorbed. But, like her gift of playing the violin, was Jena born with this feeling?
Jena is a 22-year-old Asian/Australian violin player. But not just any violin player. Jena was a child prodigy and loved being in the spotlight. Perhaps why she is so self centered.
To say Jena was obsessed with the violin as a child would be a grave understatement. During practice sessions, which Jena could not get enough of, her mother would have to remind her to eat. Even short breaks to go to the toilet were an annoyance. Her obsession became so great that she was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder but refused to take any medication fearing it may affect her performance. She begins to believe that the violin defines her, and without it she would be nothing, a nobody.
Both Jena and her best friend, Olivia, are auditioning for a permanent place in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Problem is there is only one spot available, so her life is basically practicing every waking moment of the day, that is when she isn’t having sex.
When Jena is called upon to stand in for a violinist who missed their flight, her thoughts immediately return to when she was fifteen and performing the same Beethoven piece. A performance she never finished, a performance she literally walked out on.
So, what happened? Why is a child prodigy who performed solo all over the world now auditioning for a place in the Orchestra?
Jena was a child prodigy with the violin, but Tu’s exploration of this theme could apply to any talent. What it is like for the child. The demands, the attention, always in the spotlight. It must influence the young mind. The golden gift so many times turning into the dark curse.
Tu also explores, very graphically, the life of a sex addict. When Jena isn’t playing or practicing the violin, she is either having sex or thinking about it. If graphic sex and profanity offend, then do not read this book. No need for a warning though it starts right from the first page.
If you can get past all the sex, then you will find a fascinating character in Jena. The novel is pretty much all about her and how she deals with her life. It is somewhat a paradox that much of her life she has been in the spotlight, the eyes of the world watching, and yet she is crippled with loneliness.
What is interesting is why Jena is a sex addict. Is it just the physical pleasure? Is it the feeling of empowerment, the need to be desired? If she were not a child prodigy would this change or negate her addiction? Is her prodigious talent the cause or does she simply use sex to assuage the loneliness?
Another point that was constantly in the back of my mind while reading this, is would peoples opinion change if Jena were male? Will male and female perspectives on Jena’s character be different? A morally corrupt character is morally corrupt, regardless of sex. It should make no difference, but I am sure it will.
Jena is a horrible character, she thinks only of herself, never stopping to worry about friends or family. She is totally absorbed with herself and her life, and yet regardless of what makes Jena who she is, regardless of her moral character, regardless of her gift and talent, she is a wonderful character to read and ponder on. Put succinctly Jena is the novel.
4 stars.
This was another buddy read with the wonderful Nat K. And (my fault entirely) we have not had a chance to discuss this one much. I am not even sure how many stars she gave it. Either way please check out her review it is always better than mine. :-) Nat don't think any less of me. I love reading dark, flawed, horrible characters!!!! :-)
“The kind of pity that was entirely self-serving.”
This also gives us a little insight into Jena’s character.
It must be said that Jena loves casual sex almost as much as she loves the violin. When a friend of Jena’s tells her to steer clear of a guy, he is a serial f***er. Jena replies,
“But so am I”.
But is it the physical act of sex or the feeling of being desired and the resulting feeling of power that Jena loves? The same feeling of power that she feels when she is loved by the audience. Yes, you could say that Jenna is self-absorbed. But, like her gift of playing the violin, was Jena born with this feeling?
Jena is a 22-year-old Asian/Australian violin player. But not just any violin player. Jena was a child prodigy and loved being in the spotlight. Perhaps why she is so self centered.
To say Jena was obsessed with the violin as a child would be a grave understatement. During practice sessions, which Jena could not get enough of, her mother would have to remind her to eat. Even short breaks to go to the toilet were an annoyance. Her obsession became so great that she was diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder but refused to take any medication fearing it may affect her performance. She begins to believe that the violin defines her, and without it she would be nothing, a nobody.
Both Jena and her best friend, Olivia, are auditioning for a permanent place in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Problem is there is only one spot available, so her life is basically practicing every waking moment of the day, that is when she isn’t having sex.
When Jena is called upon to stand in for a violinist who missed their flight, her thoughts immediately return to when she was fifteen and performing the same Beethoven piece. A performance she never finished, a performance she literally walked out on.
So, what happened? Why is a child prodigy who performed solo all over the world now auditioning for a place in the Orchestra?
Jena was a child prodigy with the violin, but Tu’s exploration of this theme could apply to any talent. What it is like for the child. The demands, the attention, always in the spotlight. It must influence the young mind. The golden gift so many times turning into the dark curse.
Tu also explores, very graphically, the life of a sex addict. When Jena isn’t playing or practicing the violin, she is either having sex or thinking about it. If graphic sex and profanity offend, then do not read this book. No need for a warning though it starts right from the first page.
If you can get past all the sex, then you will find a fascinating character in Jena. The novel is pretty much all about her and how she deals with her life. It is somewhat a paradox that much of her life she has been in the spotlight, the eyes of the world watching, and yet she is crippled with loneliness.
What is interesting is why Jena is a sex addict. Is it just the physical pleasure? Is it the feeling of empowerment, the need to be desired? If she were not a child prodigy would this change or negate her addiction? Is her prodigious talent the cause or does she simply use sex to assuage the loneliness?
Another point that was constantly in the back of my mind while reading this, is would peoples opinion change if Jena were male? Will male and female perspectives on Jena’s character be different? A morally corrupt character is morally corrupt, regardless of sex. It should make no difference, but I am sure it will.
Jena is a horrible character, she thinks only of herself, never stopping to worry about friends or family. She is totally absorbed with herself and her life, and yet regardless of what makes Jena who she is, regardless of her moral character, regardless of her gift and talent, she is a wonderful character to read and ponder on. Put succinctly Jena is the novel.
4 stars.
This was another buddy read with the wonderful Nat K. And (my fault entirely) we have not had a chance to discuss this one much. I am not even sure how many stars she gave it. Either way please check out her review it is always better than mine. :-) Nat don't think any less of me. I love reading dark, flawed, horrible characters!!!! :-)
December 29, 2020
Gratuitous loveless sex followed by violin rehearsal followed by gratuitous loveless sex followed by violin hand physio followed by gratuitous loveless sex followed by violin practice. You get the drift. This is the very repetitive story of 22 year old Jena - an Asian child violin prodigy living in inner city Sydney - and her obsession with sex and the violin. These obsessions make her one of the loneliest saddest characters I’ve read about in a book unable to connect in any formidable way with friends or family or the world. I don’t think she really tries and I don’t think the author tried to develop the characters or a real storyline. It’s a YA genre story but really I wouldn’t like my late teenage aged girls reading it as it’s just a sad and monotonous characterization of life as a YA.
July 10, 2020
2.5 - I struggled to connect with this one. The protagonist is intentionally difficult, but I never really found a way in.
July 6, 2020
Winter days spent reading books on the beach wearing a tshirt. Like in Queenie and Normal People, the protagonist of A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing allows herself to be debased sexually to an incredible low before she can find the strength to rise again. I’m conflicted about this narrative arc in all three books but something I’m not conflicted about is having a professional classical musician as a protagonist. This book is best read with Beethoven’s Violin Concerto playing. As someone who spends too much time thinking about the literary and musical canons, this book spoke to my heart. There was excellent commentary about female composers, music, race and art. This is a book about ambition, drive and how to fill the void inside. It’s the fictional Mozart in the Jungle and I read it in a single sitting.
August 22, 2020
It was crude for the sake of being crude. The ending was completely abrupt and confusing.
All in all, felt that it went no where, explored nothing. And I did not see the point in referencing Trump's election win in the blurb.
All in all, felt that it went no where, explored nothing. And I did not see the point in referencing Trump's election win in the blurb.
did-not-finish
September 28, 2020Trigger warnings: violent depictions of sex, fatphobia, daddy issues, pornography, self-harming behaviour
So, the first 2 pages of this book features the c word as well as a very detailed oral sex scene, as the violinist Jena engages in casual sex. If that is anything to go by - I very quickly realised that this book definitely isn't for me.
I gave it a few more chapters just to know for sure and I'm glad I ended up DNFing it. The detailed descriptions of violent sex, pornography and self-pleasure were just too much for me. I can kind of see where the author is trying to get at with the story, but the way these scenes were written was just way too in your face (especially when Jena starts rating male genitalia!!).
I really wanted to give this a go to try something different and to support an own voices Chinese author, but oh well.
So, the first 2 pages of this book features the c word as well as a very detailed oral sex scene, as the violinist Jena engages in casual sex. If that is anything to go by - I very quickly realised that this book definitely isn't for me.
I gave it a few more chapters just to know for sure and I'm glad I ended up DNFing it. The detailed descriptions of violent sex, pornography and self-pleasure were just too much for me. I can kind of see where the author is trying to get at with the story, but the way these scenes were written was just way too in your face (especially when Jena starts rating male genitalia!!).
I really wanted to give this a go to try something different and to support an own voices Chinese author, but oh well.
February 15, 2021
3.5
I can't remember the last time I had such mixed feelings about a novel.
First of all, I've broken yet again my stance on not reading any more "girl" titled books, even though this is a much better title than the two-word ones.
Congratulation to Jessie Tu on her debut novel. It's gritty, gutsy, uncomfortable. Sometimes, it verged on the pornographic, as the descriptions of sexual encounters were, well, very detailed. And there's an abundance of them. I probably read erotica that had fewer sex acts. Of course, what's too much, too little, or just enough is a relative, subjective measure. My issue with all the sex, besides the yuck factor, is that it overshadowed the really good things in this novel.
Things that made this novel worthwhile reading:
- the representation - our narrator is Jenna Lin - a violinist, a former child prodigy, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants to Australia. At twenty-three, Jenna is back to playing the violin, but in an orchestra, not as a soloist. She reaches to sex with men (they're all rubbish, in very different ways, but nevertheless rubbish) to fill a void. She's got a dark side that propels her to hurt even those few people close to her. Unfortunately, she never reveals herself to anyone, just to us the readers. She's a stunted young adult. Isn't it amazing how some people can be so extraordinary in some ways, yet lack some basic life skills? I so loved the fact that an Asian woman was portrayed in such a non-stereotypical way - well, except for the fact that she plays the violin and she's really good at it.
- as a lover of music, including classical music, I enjoyed all the "shop talk" - the rehearsing, the music scores, the topic of white men being played all the time, with very few women composers getting through or acknowledged. It's definitely a different world. It takes a lot of talent and even more hard work to make it.
I'll keep my eyes out for Jessie Tu's sophomore novel. Kudos to her for writing such a daring novel and congrats to Allen and Unwin for publishing it.
I can't remember the last time I had such mixed feelings about a novel.
First of all, I've broken yet again my stance on not reading any more "girl" titled books, even though this is a much better title than the two-word ones.
Congratulation to Jessie Tu on her debut novel. It's gritty, gutsy, uncomfortable. Sometimes, it verged on the pornographic, as the descriptions of sexual encounters were, well, very detailed. And there's an abundance of them. I probably read erotica that had fewer sex acts. Of course, what's too much, too little, or just enough is a relative, subjective measure. My issue with all the sex, besides the yuck factor, is that it overshadowed the really good things in this novel.
Things that made this novel worthwhile reading:
- the representation - our narrator is Jenna Lin - a violinist, a former child prodigy, the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants to Australia. At twenty-three, Jenna is back to playing the violin, but in an orchestra, not as a soloist. She reaches to sex with men (they're all rubbish, in very different ways, but nevertheless rubbish) to fill a void. She's got a dark side that propels her to hurt even those few people close to her. Unfortunately, she never reveals herself to anyone, just to us the readers. She's a stunted young adult. Isn't it amazing how some people can be so extraordinary in some ways, yet lack some basic life skills? I so loved the fact that an Asian woman was portrayed in such a non-stereotypical way - well, except for the fact that she plays the violin and she's really good at it.
- as a lover of music, including classical music, I enjoyed all the "shop talk" - the rehearsing, the music scores, the topic of white men being played all the time, with very few women composers getting through or acknowledged. It's definitely a different world. It takes a lot of talent and even more hard work to make it.
I'll keep my eyes out for Jessie Tu's sophomore novel. Kudos to her for writing such a daring novel and congrats to Allen and Unwin for publishing it.
July 10, 2020
'I was so yearning for a story about a young woman who looked like me, who struggled with loneliness and the shame of loneliness.' So writes author Jessie Tu in a Guardian article about her debut novel, A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing, and while sex is obviously one of the key themes in this book, for me it all boiled down to loneliness. The lonely girl in question is 23 year-old Jena Lin, a former child prodigy violinist who was once one of the world's best violin players until a breakdown at 14 put a temporary end to her career. Now, nearly a decade later, she's trying again.
Adult Jena is a complex character, though, and one who I think will appeal to readers of Candice Carty-Williams and Ottessa Moshfegh, and viewers of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag. In fact, I feel like if Ottessa Moshgefh, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Lisa Taddeo collaborated on a book, Jessie Tu's debut would be the result. It's a raw and unflinching interrogation into the links between loneliness, sex, female desire, race, representation, and power, and it's not for the faint of heart. Jena uses sex to replicate the thrill of performing but along the way it felt to me that the power she thought she gained from sex has started to wane, to unpleasant and abusive results. Jena can be reckless and dangerous in a frustratingly self-sabotaging way, putting her relationships with those closest to her in constant risk. This isn't an uplifting book, despite what the blurb may sound like. But despite of all this, I loved it and I loved Jena, and I was firmly on her side. Sex isn't Jena's only defining theme, though. She is the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, and race and representation are deftly explored by Tu, who sought to write the sort of strong, independent Asian female character that she never saw in fiction when she was younger. Tu was also a violinist when she was younger and this adds authenticity and weight to the professional musician side of Jena's life.
The strongest part of this novel for me though, and it has many strong points, was its introspection and how readers were slowly able to understand Jena's motivations. I suspect that many readers, myself included, will see parts of ourselves in Jena and will relate to her in meaningful ways. Like Jena, I've been lonely. Like Jena, I've attempted to use intimacy to regain power and purpose. And, ultimately like Jena, I've had to do hard work to rebuild self-esteem and a healthy relationship with myself. Following Jena's journey as she tries to do the same makes for an intense yet enjoyable reading experience.
Adult Jena is a complex character, though, and one who I think will appeal to readers of Candice Carty-Williams and Ottessa Moshfegh, and viewers of Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag. In fact, I feel like if Ottessa Moshgefh, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, and Lisa Taddeo collaborated on a book, Jessie Tu's debut would be the result. It's a raw and unflinching interrogation into the links between loneliness, sex, female desire, race, representation, and power, and it's not for the faint of heart. Jena uses sex to replicate the thrill of performing but along the way it felt to me that the power she thought she gained from sex has started to wane, to unpleasant and abusive results. Jena can be reckless and dangerous in a frustratingly self-sabotaging way, putting her relationships with those closest to her in constant risk. This isn't an uplifting book, despite what the blurb may sound like. But despite of all this, I loved it and I loved Jena, and I was firmly on her side. Sex isn't Jena's only defining theme, though. She is the daughter of Taiwanese immigrants, and race and representation are deftly explored by Tu, who sought to write the sort of strong, independent Asian female character that she never saw in fiction when she was younger. Tu was also a violinist when she was younger and this adds authenticity and weight to the professional musician side of Jena's life.
The strongest part of this novel for me though, and it has many strong points, was its introspection and how readers were slowly able to understand Jena's motivations. I suspect that many readers, myself included, will see parts of ourselves in Jena and will relate to her in meaningful ways. Like Jena, I've been lonely. Like Jena, I've attempted to use intimacy to regain power and purpose. And, ultimately like Jena, I've had to do hard work to rebuild self-esteem and a healthy relationship with myself. Following Jena's journey as she tries to do the same makes for an intense yet enjoyable reading experience.
October 26, 2020
This debut novel has been quite divisive amongst its readership. On the surface, it’s easy to see why. The narrator is an early-twenties TAG (Thin Asian Girl), once a world-famous child violinist and now a lonely young woman with a penchant for casual, sometimes violent, sexual encounters.
However, if you read the sex scenes with sex not being the outcome, but as being symptomatic of her search for identity, these scenes lose their apparent gratuitousness. Certainly, Jeni is not the first protagonist (or real-life person) to express her search for self through sex with inappropriate men, and who has a history of difficult relationships with power and men.
What makes this book stand out is that this experience, which is more common than anyone would like to acknowledge, let alone write about, is put unapologetically in front of the reader. So too is the voice of the young Asian-Australian woman, a voice largely missing from Australian literature.
Alongside these two facets (TAG, sex) sits a third that will resonate with anyone who has grown up within the competitive music experience. The world of young musicians was my world for a long time (although I quit when I got to uni). Tu perfectly captures it and the book was quite triggering for me in that respect. However, she counters the difficult side of the industry with simply exquisite writing on how our souls interact with the music we play, the physicality of playing, and the bonds we feel with our ensemble-mates in creating music.
It is not surprising, then, that Jeni’s feelings of loneliness are the result of being caught in the conundrum of being asked to play with incredible, visible feeling, while simultaneously being asked to devoid herself of feeling in order to push through the physical challenges and isolation associated with endless hours of practice and rehearsals, of cut-throat competition with people who are also her best friends, and of levels of pressure for which no child (or family) can be adequately prepared.
It really is a stunning debut novel.
You can check out other reviews from me on Instagram, @avrbookstuff.
However, if you read the sex scenes with sex not being the outcome, but as being symptomatic of her search for identity, these scenes lose their apparent gratuitousness. Certainly, Jeni is not the first protagonist (or real-life person) to express her search for self through sex with inappropriate men, and who has a history of difficult relationships with power and men.
What makes this book stand out is that this experience, which is more common than anyone would like to acknowledge, let alone write about, is put unapologetically in front of the reader. So too is the voice of the young Asian-Australian woman, a voice largely missing from Australian literature.
Alongside these two facets (TAG, sex) sits a third that will resonate with anyone who has grown up within the competitive music experience. The world of young musicians was my world for a long time (although I quit when I got to uni). Tu perfectly captures it and the book was quite triggering for me in that respect. However, she counters the difficult side of the industry with simply exquisite writing on how our souls interact with the music we play, the physicality of playing, and the bonds we feel with our ensemble-mates in creating music.
It is not surprising, then, that Jeni’s feelings of loneliness are the result of being caught in the conundrum of being asked to play with incredible, visible feeling, while simultaneously being asked to devoid herself of feeling in order to push through the physical challenges and isolation associated with endless hours of practice and rehearsals, of cut-throat competition with people who are also her best friends, and of levels of pressure for which no child (or family) can be adequately prepared.
It really is a stunning debut novel.
You can check out other reviews from me on Instagram, @avrbookstuff.
June 30, 2020
I was lucky enough to be given this book by Allen & Unwin in exchange for an honest review. Nope, nope, nope – this book did not do it for me. I am by no means a prude, but I found the explicit sex scenes unnecessary. Jena’s fractured relationship with her mother and non-existent relationship with her father sees her using sex as an attempt to fill this, and other voids in her life. I found the story had no substantial plot, character development was shallow and I kept wanting more from the story. I finished the book, hoping to find that ‘more’ but never did. Although this book didn’t appeal to me, maybe it will to you.
July 5, 2020
Child prodigies are cute, but have you ever wondered what happens to them when they grow up? Jena’s career as a violinist came to a screeching halt as a teenager, after a public humiliation that “blew up the lives” of her, her family, and her teacher. She has retreated from the spotlight, playing as part of an orchestra, and uses self-destructive sex to fill the void (heads up: it’s not one for the prudish, Jena is… unabashed). A Lonely Girl Is A Dangerous Thing interrogates female desire, relationships, and power – it’s Ottessa Moshfegh meets Lisa Taddeo.
An extended review is available from Keeping Up With The Penguins.
An extended review is available from Keeping Up With The Penguins.
August 8, 2020
they let anyone write a book now huh
December 7, 2021
I hate to sound like an out-of-touch Boomer but this review will place me firmly in that category.
I have often wondered how the self-indulgent tendency for people to narrate the details of their lives, and to comment on everything that they do as though it is of profound importance and interest to everybody else, as is done on reality television and a lot of social media, will impact the psychology of young people growing up in that world. I think that 'A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing' is a perfect illustration of the consequence.
It is a book that goes absolutely nowhere, featuring passages that pose as being meaningful and profound but are, instead, shallow and often meaningless.
Here are are random selection of examples:
"For a moment, I think there is somebody inside the house, standing in the hallway waiting for me. My heart stops. And then I step inside, untie my hair. I walk to the bathroom and use the toilet."
"And there is always someone else ready to take our place. Our mothers. Our mothers."
Aside from these examples - unreflective statements masquerading as profundity - there are also paragraphs upon paragraphs of unadorned, boring narration of day-to-day activities. Such as, "I check my phone... I wash my hair... I text back OK... I look for somewhere to rest my eyes..."
Jena, the novel's protagonist, lacks any insight and is troublingly narcissistic. I say 'troublingly' because there are things in this novel that I believe to be important, but it is hard to advocate for those things when it results in someone who is inherently selfish in their own self-destruction. Yes, Jena is troubled, lonely, adrift, self-destructive, desperately searching for meaning and a sense of worthiness and agency in her own life. That would be a reality for many people, and it is a story that is worthy of being told unapologetically, but does it have to mean that everyone feeling this way becomes so unsympathetic? Does this naturally lend itself to narcissism? I could not like Jena. She showed such little self-reflection and such limited empathy that I found her entirely unrelatable.
On the plus side, without much to contemplate, this was an incredibly easy read. And that is worthy of two stars.
I have often wondered how the self-indulgent tendency for people to narrate the details of their lives, and to comment on everything that they do as though it is of profound importance and interest to everybody else, as is done on reality television and a lot of social media, will impact the psychology of young people growing up in that world. I think that 'A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing' is a perfect illustration of the consequence.
It is a book that goes absolutely nowhere, featuring passages that pose as being meaningful and profound but are, instead, shallow and often meaningless.
Here are are random selection of examples:
"For a moment, I think there is somebody inside the house, standing in the hallway waiting for me. My heart stops. And then I step inside, untie my hair. I walk to the bathroom and use the toilet."
"And there is always someone else ready to take our place. Our mothers. Our mothers."
Aside from these examples - unreflective statements masquerading as profundity - there are also paragraphs upon paragraphs of unadorned, boring narration of day-to-day activities. Such as, "I check my phone... I wash my hair... I text back OK... I look for somewhere to rest my eyes..."
Jena, the novel's protagonist, lacks any insight and is troublingly narcissistic. I say 'troublingly' because there are things in this novel that I believe to be important, but it is hard to advocate for those things when it results in someone who is inherently selfish in their own self-destruction. Yes, Jena is troubled, lonely, adrift, self-destructive, desperately searching for meaning and a sense of worthiness and agency in her own life. That would be a reality for many people, and it is a story that is worthy of being told unapologetically, but does it have to mean that everyone feeling this way becomes so unsympathetic? Does this naturally lend itself to narcissism? I could not like Jena. She showed such little self-reflection and such limited empathy that I found her entirely unrelatable.
On the plus side, without much to contemplate, this was an incredibly easy read. And that is worthy of two stars.
January 3, 2021
So....
I can *sort of* understand what the author was trying to do. She was trying to tell a story of a lonely girl trying to find herself in the world by indulging in meaningless flings to fill the void. At the start, this was enjoyable. The writing is beautiful and I was so sure of what the author was trying to achieve.
But then, just nothing happened? At all? I got so bored, I felt like it was never going to end. But I still had great respect for the story itself, because it is fairly obvious this was meant to be a story about character development, rather than plot development.
And then the last line happened. And my star rating went down to 2 because that is how unsatisfied I am by that last line.
My first read of 2021, I’m disappointed.
I can *sort of* understand what the author was trying to do. She was trying to tell a story of a lonely girl trying to find herself in the world by indulging in meaningless flings to fill the void. At the start, this was enjoyable. The writing is beautiful and I was so sure of what the author was trying to achieve.
But then, just nothing happened? At all? I got so bored, I felt like it was never going to end. But I still had great respect for the story itself, because it is fairly obvious this was meant to be a story about character development, rather than plot development.
And then the last line happened. And my star rating went down to 2 because that is how unsatisfied I am by that last line.
My first read of 2021, I’m disappointed.
September 5, 2020
This book made me think.
It made me think about loneliness, emptiness, desire and friendship as well as self-worth. The discussion and explorations surrounding these themes were incredibly in depth - as aspect of the novel that I have not seen in any other adult literary fiction. This novel was gritty and raw and I enjoyed how intense the exploration of female desire coupled with loneliness occurred throughout the narrative. For a debut, it impressed me. The likability of the characters are not a priority - instead, it is about mental health and the struggles of the main character as she understands herself as a woman, a sex addict and a child prodigy.
In saying that though, I disliked this book. I didn’t like the characters at all, I wasn’t hoping for the main character to get her shit together. I was apathetic at the end. There was no overarching purpose for me to this book (and people will disagree which i get) but I was so incredibly bored. The main character and the people she chose to be around were all toxic. Jena didn’t even properly acknowledge that she had mental health issues. It was a clusterfuck. And I do get that that was the point of the book, but i am already depressed and lonely as fuck, grappling with the meaning of existence and I don’t need a book to re-emphasise that to me. This book made me more depressed. I just did not have a great reading experience - I disliked everyone in this book.
The writing also was something to get used to. It wasn’t an issue, but i struggled to connect at all with the story. Especially in the beginning, the narrative doesn’t lend itself to a linear narrative, it jumps from past to present and then in the second half of the book, it becomes a more traditionally linear narrative.
There was also a passage about the main character wanting to be raped by two men, it was her fantasy, and it went on a weird tangent about how powerful men just take what they want and the woman’s supposed position is to be the victim (I’m pretty sure it was a commentary on the patriarchal standards of our society) but it just made me super uncomfortable. The main character is an idiot who made stupid decisions and she doesn’t really acknowledge or take accountability? There is no hope in this novel.
I just think overall, i should not have read this book now. I should have waited until i was in a better headspace because again, I did not enjoy this at all. I would have given it a 2 star but I upped it because I am pretty sure my mental state is jeopardising my rating.
Also, if you don’t like graphic sex scenes, don’t read this.
It made me think about loneliness, emptiness, desire and friendship as well as self-worth. The discussion and explorations surrounding these themes were incredibly in depth - as aspect of the novel that I have not seen in any other adult literary fiction. This novel was gritty and raw and I enjoyed how intense the exploration of female desire coupled with loneliness occurred throughout the narrative. For a debut, it impressed me. The likability of the characters are not a priority - instead, it is about mental health and the struggles of the main character as she understands herself as a woman, a sex addict and a child prodigy.
In saying that though, I disliked this book. I didn’t like the characters at all, I wasn’t hoping for the main character to get her shit together. I was apathetic at the end. There was no overarching purpose for me to this book (and people will disagree which i get) but I was so incredibly bored. The main character and the people she chose to be around were all toxic. Jena didn’t even properly acknowledge that she had mental health issues. It was a clusterfuck. And I do get that that was the point of the book, but i am already depressed and lonely as fuck, grappling with the meaning of existence and I don’t need a book to re-emphasise that to me. This book made me more depressed. I just did not have a great reading experience - I disliked everyone in this book.
The writing also was something to get used to. It wasn’t an issue, but i struggled to connect at all with the story. Especially in the beginning, the narrative doesn’t lend itself to a linear narrative, it jumps from past to present and then in the second half of the book, it becomes a more traditionally linear narrative.
There was also a passage about the main character wanting to be raped by two men, it was her fantasy, and it went on a weird tangent about how powerful men just take what they want and the woman’s supposed position is to be the victim (I’m pretty sure it was a commentary on the patriarchal standards of our society) but it just made me super uncomfortable. The main character is an idiot who made stupid decisions and she doesn’t really acknowledge or take accountability? There is no hope in this novel.
I just think overall, i should not have read this book now. I should have waited until i was in a better headspace because again, I did not enjoy this at all. I would have given it a 2 star but I upped it because I am pretty sure my mental state is jeopardising my rating.
Also, if you don’t like graphic sex scenes, don’t read this.
August 12, 2020
2020 seems like THE year for incredible Aussie debuts and I’m here for it! A Lonely Girl was no exception and it completely blew me away 👏🏼
In this novel, Jessie Tu tells the story of Jena, a former child violin prodigy whose career fell short at the age of 14. She then grows into adulthood craving the same level of attention and spotlight and finds this in men and meaningless sex.
I don’t know if I’d be able to articulate my thoughts on this book adequately but let me begin by saying how much I appreciate the representation. I know this has been said before but I will say it again - we NEED more works by Asian authors (& other minorities) in contemporary literature, particularly in Australia! It was such a delight, feeling like I’d been *seen* through Jena’s internal thoughts and other people’s treatments towards her - sadly, this isn’t a feeling I experience often when reading. In saying that, Jena is definitely flawed and makes very questionable decisions, but it just adds another layer to the book!
The narrative can be sparse at times but there is so much depth and nuance in every passage, which shows just how divine Tu’s writing is. I especially loved the second half of the book, which felt like a love letter to New York City. I found myself longing to be there with Jena, relishing every sound and sight the city has to offer - it totally made me feel nostalgic for my NY trip last year!
This book may not be for everyone - it’s messy, it’s dark and it has a LOT of sex scenes that could get quite graphic and confronting - but I very much adored it. Do pick it up to get a (fictional) glimpse of a life of a multilayered, complex, and disobedient Asian woman.
〰️
A massive thank you to Allen & Unwin for sending through a free review copy, and helping me find a new fave! 🥰
In this novel, Jessie Tu tells the story of Jena, a former child violin prodigy whose career fell short at the age of 14. She then grows into adulthood craving the same level of attention and spotlight and finds this in men and meaningless sex.
I don’t know if I’d be able to articulate my thoughts on this book adequately but let me begin by saying how much I appreciate the representation. I know this has been said before but I will say it again - we NEED more works by Asian authors (& other minorities) in contemporary literature, particularly in Australia! It was such a delight, feeling like I’d been *seen* through Jena’s internal thoughts and other people’s treatments towards her - sadly, this isn’t a feeling I experience often when reading. In saying that, Jena is definitely flawed and makes very questionable decisions, but it just adds another layer to the book!
The narrative can be sparse at times but there is so much depth and nuance in every passage, which shows just how divine Tu’s writing is. I especially loved the second half of the book, which felt like a love letter to New York City. I found myself longing to be there with Jena, relishing every sound and sight the city has to offer - it totally made me feel nostalgic for my NY trip last year!
This book may not be for everyone - it’s messy, it’s dark and it has a LOT of sex scenes that could get quite graphic and confronting - but I very much adored it. Do pick it up to get a (fictional) glimpse of a life of a multilayered, complex, and disobedient Asian woman.
〰️
A massive thank you to Allen & Unwin for sending through a free review copy, and helping me find a new fave! 🥰
September 12, 2020
It's crazy to think that this is literally the first time in my life that I have a read a book about a 20-something Asian Australian woman living in Sydney, trying to navigate through her professional and personal life - like me. Sure I've read other stories set in Sydney, even stories about young girl/ women in Sydney but never of Asian heritage, and how thrilling it was to read. The microaggressions she encounters, and the unspoken tension/ understanding between other Asians in White spaces - all things that are certainly relatable. However, that's where the similarities end there. Jena Lin was a child prodigy violinist, she throws herself into many sexual encounters that she describes in a very upfront, abrasive, and yet sometimes passive manner, and she is lonely as hell (okay maybe I can relate).
Tu explores themes of power and sex, gender and desire, race, loneliness, and the give-and-take within all relationships. The writing is oftentimes cold and detached. The chapters are short and for a novel that is so character-focused, it moves along quite quickly. No character is necessarily likeable, nor does Jena make the best decisions, but they're still understandable. A strong, compelling debut, I'm looking forward to seeing what the author does next.
Tu explores themes of power and sex, gender and desire, race, loneliness, and the give-and-take within all relationships. The writing is oftentimes cold and detached. The chapters are short and for a novel that is so character-focused, it moves along quite quickly. No character is necessarily likeable, nor does Jena make the best decisions, but they're still understandable. A strong, compelling debut, I'm looking forward to seeing what the author does next.
October 24, 2020
I’m still quite unsure how to feel about this book and this is a very raw and honest review.
Trigger warning for sexual themes in this book.
I was aware it was a love or hate book for many after seeing some reviews come in, and if I wasn’t reading this as a buddy read, I think it would’ve been a DNF for me.
I really struggled to connect with Jena, and there was no storyline to be able to follow. I enjoy some semblance of structure in a book, and I didn’t get that at all. I didn’t understand the storyline and there felt like no dimension to any character, and throughout the book I questioned who and why characters were within the storyline.
I felt that this book can be very polarising and I struggled reading the daily allocated pages. I’m so grateful I read this as a buddy read and was able to express and decompress after each day with other amazing humans to help me process and try to understand this book.
I found the blurb didn’t match the story at all, one example being that the blurb is talking about how USA is gripped by elections and Trump being elected; big enough to be mentioned in the blurb, yet in the book it’s mentioned for about one chapter and has nothing to do with the storyline.
I really struggled with reading the sexual content in this book, as someone who works in family violence and trauma, and with lived experience, it was absolutely triggering to read and then visualise such horrific and graphic events. I understand that maybe that was part of the way the author wanted it to be, but I had no idea it would be so graphic before going into it, and probably would’ve never picked it up if I had of known.
This book has unfortunately left me in such a negative headspace, making me very triggered and grappling with myself and has created an extreme reading slump. It has impacted the last week of my life and left me feeling very vulnerable, exposed and unsafe with my own emotions.
I’ve never had a book I’ve felt this strongly about before, or impact me in the way that it has.
Trigger warning for sexual themes in this book.
I was aware it was a love or hate book for many after seeing some reviews come in, and if I wasn’t reading this as a buddy read, I think it would’ve been a DNF for me.
I really struggled to connect with Jena, and there was no storyline to be able to follow. I enjoy some semblance of structure in a book, and I didn’t get that at all. I didn’t understand the storyline and there felt like no dimension to any character, and throughout the book I questioned who and why characters were within the storyline.
I felt that this book can be very polarising and I struggled reading the daily allocated pages. I’m so grateful I read this as a buddy read and was able to express and decompress after each day with other amazing humans to help me process and try to understand this book.
I found the blurb didn’t match the story at all, one example being that the blurb is talking about how USA is gripped by elections and Trump being elected; big enough to be mentioned in the blurb, yet in the book it’s mentioned for about one chapter and has nothing to do with the storyline.
I really struggled with reading the sexual content in this book, as someone who works in family violence and trauma, and with lived experience, it was absolutely triggering to read and then visualise such horrific and graphic events. I understand that maybe that was part of the way the author wanted it to be, but I had no idea it would be so graphic before going into it, and probably would’ve never picked it up if I had of known.
This book has unfortunately left me in such a negative headspace, making me very triggered and grappling with myself and has created an extreme reading slump. It has impacted the last week of my life and left me feeling very vulnerable, exposed and unsafe with my own emotions.
I’ve never had a book I’ve felt this strongly about before, or impact me in the way that it has.
October 4, 2021
This book was really striking. I get the impression Jessie Tu was aiming straight for the head when she wrote it, putting together something that you might find troubling, but – dammit – you can’t ignore.
Our narrator Jena was a world class violin prodigy . She’s good, and (horror of horrors) she knows it. Precocious and demanding, when the weight of the classical music world proves too stifling, she turns her back on it at the height of her fame. Smarting from being made to feel like a has-been in her early 20s, she finds comfort in sex and cruelty. Often directed squarely at herself.
There’s a lot not to like about this book. Nearly everyone I've discussed it with really didn’t like it at all. It’s repetitive, it lacks narrative, its salacious and the protagonist is impossible to like. I don't disagree with any of these criticisms.
And yet, and yet.
To put it simply; I just liked this. It was very easy to read, the pacing was great. The characters were realistic and complex and the writing was bloody and breathless. There is a real anger here, I was often reminded of Tsiolkias at his most ferocious. The writing about musical performance provided the highlights, but I also enjoyed reading characters that I swear I remember from a former life hanging around in Sydney.
I was very often reminded of Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation, another book about a young woman who determinedly rejects the opportunities that life offers her. However, Moshfegh was also a triumph of thematic originality. Whereas here I don’t think I gained any insights I haven’t already come across in books from my youth.
Like one of Jena’s loveless affairs, it was great while it lasted, but it gave me an uncomfortable feeling throughout.
Our narrator Jena was a world class violin prodigy . She’s good, and (horror of horrors) she knows it. Precocious and demanding, when the weight of the classical music world proves too stifling, she turns her back on it at the height of her fame. Smarting from being made to feel like a has-been in her early 20s, she finds comfort in sex and cruelty. Often directed squarely at herself.
There’s a lot not to like about this book. Nearly everyone I've discussed it with really didn’t like it at all. It’s repetitive, it lacks narrative, its salacious and the protagonist is impossible to like. I don't disagree with any of these criticisms.
And yet, and yet.
To put it simply; I just liked this. It was very easy to read, the pacing was great. The characters were realistic and complex and the writing was bloody and breathless. There is a real anger here, I was often reminded of Tsiolkias at his most ferocious. The writing about musical performance provided the highlights, but I also enjoyed reading characters that I swear I remember from a former life hanging around in Sydney.
I was very often reminded of Moshfegh’s My Year of Rest and Relaxation, another book about a young woman who determinedly rejects the opportunities that life offers her. However, Moshfegh was also a triumph of thematic originality. Whereas here I don’t think I gained any insights I haven’t already come across in books from my youth.
Like one of Jena’s loveless affairs, it was great while it lasted, but it gave me an uncomfortable feeling throughout.
August 17, 2020
I was intrigued to see how this one would go because I was drawn to this cover and title... let's just say I definitely had mixed emotions. Jena was a complex character, very flawed, emotionless and it was kind of concerning how she was dealing with her loneliness. Her successful early childhood and early teens plays a part in why she's the way she is. I did sympathize with her at times and understood and related to her loneliness, although I did question why she was handling it the way she was because there was one part that I was very disturbed by. I also appreciated that Jessie Tu acknowledged the themes of racism and misogyny in Australia and thought it was done subtly but done just enough. The writing style was alright, it was easy to read with short chapters (which I love) but it felt stunted at times which affected the flow for me so I found it hard to connect to. In the beginning the way it was reading and written was like the character Daria was talking. I couldn't get her monotone voice out of my head while reading the first few chapters, just in terms of the emotionless tone that was used haha. Overall this book was okay and I am inclined to try more from this author in the future.
September 19, 2020
I don’t ever feel compelled to write reviews but this novel has enraged and disappointed me in a way no novel ever has. A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing reminded me of Sally Rooney’s ‘Conversations with Friends’, and not in a good way. The writing and plot were unremarkable, the characters were unlikable, and the protagonist was infuriating in her decision-making and her internal monologue which made it difficult to sympathise for her. I found it to be incredibly disempowering; with frequent remarks such as ‘I want a man to degrade me. Maybe that’s the only way I can become a woman’ and ‘I tell him I want to be raped.’ Further, if you are after a novel with character growth, this is not for you. To echo a previous review of this novel, the blurb is completing misleading. Most of the synopsis relates to events that don’t happen until the second half of the novel. It is clear they were trying to sell a story that simply wasn’t there. Proceed with caution, if at all.
September 12, 2020
Paperback/Audiobook
I switched between reading the book and listening to the audiobook. Great performance by Aileen Hunyh. At times, her monotone reading worked perfectly with the monotonous rolling of Jena’s days into weeks, at others I found it dull.
I actually really enjoyed the sex scenes (taboo!). I found Tu’s depiction of one-night stands/disrespectful sexual relationships intersecting with female dissatisfaction and indifference penetrating (excuse the pun), further curtailing her loneliness and self-value.
I did however find parts difficult; the strained relationship between Jena and her mother, her treatment towards certain friends and Jena’s self-destruction caused frustration, and filling lonely void with (bluntly) disrespectful, trashy sex. It caused a few eye-rolls.
Whilst I did enjoy the book, it’s core themes of female sexual desire and loneliness and the way it made me think, I wasn’t gripped by it and I’m finding that’s what currently influences my ratings.
I switched between reading the book and listening to the audiobook. Great performance by Aileen Hunyh. At times, her monotone reading worked perfectly with the monotonous rolling of Jena’s days into weeks, at others I found it dull.
I actually really enjoyed the sex scenes (taboo!). I found Tu’s depiction of one-night stands/disrespectful sexual relationships intersecting with female dissatisfaction and indifference penetrating (excuse the pun), further curtailing her loneliness and self-value.
"I was lonely," I mutter.
She sighs. "Maybe you need to stop using that word as an excuse to mistreat yourself.”
I did however find parts difficult; the strained relationship between Jena and her mother, her treatment towards certain friends and Jena’s self-destruction caused frustration, and filling lonely void with (bluntly) disrespectful, trashy sex. It caused a few eye-rolls.
Whilst I did enjoy the book, it’s core themes of female sexual desire and loneliness and the way it made me think, I wasn’t gripped by it and I’m finding that’s what currently influences my ratings.
August 24, 2020
Every time I look up someone else is hyping this up - which is why I felt like I should write this review. I feel like I’m being gaslit when I see it recommended. Or that everyone read an entirely different book than I did!
Although it’s fantastic to see female desire and struggle at the forefront of this story, it came across incredibly surface level. The themes the author has attempted to explore certainly are important, and it is great to see an attempt to bring uncomfortable issues so often avoided to light. However, I felt the characters lacked substance further than their defining shock traits/actions. Because of this, I found myself unable to feel sympathy where I should have. Or any emotion toward the characters at all, really. It felt like the author was ticking boxes with the inclusion of a plethora of complex and taboo themes, rather than spending time exploring them in enough depth.
I’m glad it was a short read so I got it out of the way quickly. Subpar. Did not land for me. Wouldn’t bother with this one.
Although it’s fantastic to see female desire and struggle at the forefront of this story, it came across incredibly surface level. The themes the author has attempted to explore certainly are important, and it is great to see an attempt to bring uncomfortable issues so often avoided to light. However, I felt the characters lacked substance further than their defining shock traits/actions. Because of this, I found myself unable to feel sympathy where I should have. Or any emotion toward the characters at all, really. It felt like the author was ticking boxes with the inclusion of a plethora of complex and taboo themes, rather than spending time exploring them in enough depth.
I’m glad it was a short read so I got it out of the way quickly. Subpar. Did not land for me. Wouldn’t bother with this one.
September 29, 2020
Inhaled it. Might not be to everyone’s taste but I found it a completely absorbing, unique and raw read.
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